POTIOHA <br />Friday, September 20, 2013 <br />Hearings Official <br />Eugene City Planning Division <br />Re; Oakleigh Meadow Co-Housing PUD application <br />Dear Hearings Official; <br />This letter is as strong support for the proposed co-housing project being proposed for by the Oak leigh <br />Meadow Community. I have followed this project for a number of years and offer the following <br />comments. I believe that I can offer these comments as a long term resident of Eugene and a proven <br />expert in urban design, land use planning and single family and multifamily housing design. I have <br />practiced architecture for the past 50 years in Eugene and throughout the U,S, and have taught <br />Architectural Design at the University of Oregon for 52 years. <br />Having watched the progress of this project's development, I can say the planning, programming and <br />design by those active in the process have learned from this long and tedious internal design process. A <br />process that has required the participants to seek consensus, explore and understand a slightly <br />different lifestyle. They have come away with a special understanding and regard for each other, the <br />surrounding neighbors and the land. This is a sustainable project because all involved have had a part <br />in making it together, it is theirs and they will protect it. They have made a working and sharing <br />"urban sub community" connected and within a part of a larger community. They have focused on <br />how "sub communities" are important and what a resource they offer to themselves and to the larger <br />community. <br />The proposed number of units is within the prescriptive land use density for low density housing. It <br />certainly satisfies the intent of the PUD ordinances, which was adopted to encourage and allow for <br />imaginative land uses and site configurations beyond prescriptive ordinances. This proposed <br />development from an urban design standpoint is certainly much better than a string of houses all with <br />the prescriptive setbacks, like a string of beads along a street or a spaghetti system of developer streets <br />lined with the same houses dropped into place. Rather this is a community with buildings attached to <br />form useable spaces that contribute to the community needs and uses. Not simply something to mow <br />between separated houses. The portions of the site that are common will be maintained and cared for <br />by the members of the community as one would care for the shared spaces and outdoor rooms that <br />are a part of their individual house units. <br />Assuming the role of land use planning is to protect the past and to examine and support the future, <br />this project is the future and provides for the City an example for others to study, watch and follow. It <br />demonstrates an approach to housing and land use options, at this scale, not currently found in the <br />city. <br />This is a project that typifies the intent of the PUD ordinance and the goals of the City of Eugene. It is a <br />project and design that should be encouraged and strongly supported. <br />Sincerely <br />Otto P. Poticha FAIA NCARB <br />Architect and Adjunct Associate Professor. <br />POTICHA ARCHITECTS Studlo 1820 Kona Street T 541.686.9466 <br />Otto P. Poticha, FAIA, NCARB ; Eugene, Oregon 97403 F 541.686.9371 <br />Email: op@poticha.net <br />1237 <br />